RAISINA TATTLE: New CJI plans media meetings

New Chief Justice of India H.L. Dattu has decided to break from tradition to maintain “excellent relations” with the media.

While chief justices usually meet journalists before being sworn in or after they retire, Dattu says he plans to have informal interactions with members of the media once every three months during his tenure, which will end in December 2015.

Dattu has upheld the freedom of the press in several orders. He is of the view that “somewhere a line has to be drawn”.

Ministers on toes

Some Union ministers with two portfolios will have to shuttle between their offices on October 2 to kick-start Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s pet “Swachch Bharat Mission” to usher in a cleaner workplace.

Science and Technology Minister Jitendra Singh will launch the mission at Technology Bhawan, and soon after cleaning the venue, he will have to rush to Prithvi Bhavan to wield a broom there too.

Cleanliness pledge

The rank and file of the government will take a pledge on October 2, committing themselves to cleaning their surroundings.

The pledge, around 20 lines of promises, will invoke the Father of the Nation, Mahatama Gandhi, who is hailed as the epitome of cleanliness.

The babudom will also pledge to put in 100 hours of voluntary service a year for cleanliness.

The pledge states that officials will also inspire others around them to remain clean.

Hasnain in Governor race

Lt. Gen. (retired) Syed Ata Hasnain could be the next J&K Governor

The name of Lt. Gen. (retired) Syed Ata Hasnain has been added to the list of potential candidates for the post of Jammu and Kashmir governor, in the eventuality that the government decides to remove incumbent N.N. Vohra.

Others tipped for the post are former Mizoram Governor Amolak Rattan Kohli and Lt Gen (retired) Prem Nath Hoon but Hasnain, who once led the Srinagarbased 15 Corps, is now being seen as the front-runner.

Hasnain is also a visiting fellow at the Vivekananda International Foundation, the think tank that was earlier led by National Security Advisor Ajit Doval.

New chief secretary

P.K.Gupta, an IAS officer of the 1981 batch from the Haryana cadre, is tipped to succeed Shakuntala Jakhu as the chief secretary of Haryana on October 1.

Jakhu, an IAS officer of the 1978 batch, was reportedly denied a threemonth extension and her term ended on September 30.